Education and training
Champion: Henry Graham, Scottish chair of Lantra
This group is looking at the training and skills that enable farmers to improve profitability and become greener. It also looks at the need for agriculture to be recognised as a rewarding and accessible career for new entrants. Henry Graham said that only 450 teenagers took part in rural skills courses in the last 12 months, something he hopes their work will be able to improve upon.
Food and drink
Champion: Archie Gibson, chair of the Scottish Food and Drink Federation
This group is looking at shocks, challenges and profitability of agriculture. The group is focusing on how agriculture works as part of the Scottish food and drink sector, as well as how resilient the supply chain is to shocks.
Sustainability
Champion: John Kinnaird, farmer and former president of NFUS
The sustainability group is looking at sustainable growth in profits from agriculture. The group is hoping to boost farm performance by embracing innovation and best practice. It also sets out plans to make Scotland a world leader in green farming.
Public value
Champion: Marion McCormick, former buying director for Aldi
The public value group agrees that it is right that farming is supported and regulated by Government. In the interests of the public; farming must safeguard food supply produced on the most appropriate land, and safeguard that land for the future. However, the last time research was commissioned to study the public attitude towards farming was in 2004 and the group suggests that the exercise is repeated so that there is baseline data established. Only then can a targeted information and branding campaign, with the Government and industry, be devised.
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